Is it safe to travel to Portugal? Latest advice as coronavirus cases hit 245 and thousands of flights are cancelled
PORTUGAL'S coronavirus cases are continuing to rise, with 245 people infected.
As the country's flag carrier cancels 3,500 flights, clubs and restaurants are closed and the islands are shutting to tourists.
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Is it safe to travel to Portugal?
There are currently no travel warnings for tourists heading to the mainland of Portugal, such as Lisbon and Portugal but the islands have been affected.
However, a state of emergency has been declared and the travel advice could change at the last minute so travellers are advised to stay up to date with the latest advice.
The UK Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to the Azores and Madeira and travellers will be asked to complete a questionnaire on the flight, as well as be screened on arrival.
Authorities have announced that travellers from areas of community transmission of the coronavirus, including the UK and the Portuguese mainland, will be required to enter mandatory self-quarantine for 14 days on arrival.
The current travel advice from the UK government states: "The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against all but essential travel to the archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores due to travel restrictions related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
"The Portuguese authorities have introduced a number of precautionary measures in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic."
Cruise ship passengers will also be affected, as they not be allowed to disembark until they are a Portuguese resident.
The FCO advice continues: "The authorities have also put into place extraordinary measures such as the temporary closure of schools and public sports facilities and restrictions on visiting hospitals and retirement homes.
"On the mainland, cruise ship passengers can only disembark if they are Portuguese nationals or residents.
"Cruise ships and yachts are not permitted to dock at any port in the Azores, Madeira or Porto Santo."
The president of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, confirmed he had placed himself on self-quarantine for two weeks after visiting a school which had a positive case of coronavirus.
Can I cancel my holiday to Portugal?
You are advised to keep up to date with the latest travel advice as it is likely to change at short notice.
TAP Portugal, the country's flag carrier has cancelled over 3,500 flights from the country, with routes to France, Spain and Italy affected.
Concerned passengers can contact their airline to find out whether they can change their flights if concerned, with Ryanair, easyJet and BA offering free changes to all flights.
The only time that tour operators are required to give a refund on holiday packages is if the Foreign Office changes its travel advice for a region and turns it into a no-go area, which they have not done in this case.
Independent hotels are not even required to refund money in this instance, so if you have paid in advance and choose not to turn up then you will lose your money.
If the hotel is a large chain, it could be worth asking to change your stay to another location or delay your trip but they are under no obligation to grant this.
Holidaymakers are advised to check with their travel insurance providers to see if there is something they can do, but that is also unlikely
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